The Czech car brand Skoda is thoroughly upset that it was leaked to the press that 8,000 people are to be laid off.
– We are disappointed by recent media stories about potential cuts at Škoda Auto. Some of these stories were insufficiently investigated or jumped to sensational conclusions.
This is how Skoda launches an attack on the press over a story that the car brand itself actually sent out.
On February 27, Boosted and several international media outlets – including Automotive News – reported that Škoda is cutting 20 percent of its jobs by 2028.
The savings correspond to 8,000 jobs. But Škoda doesn't think there's anything new in that. On the contrary, the brand now says that the 'cutbacks' were also announced a year ago.
But as Dutch Autovise points out, and as Boosted has also looked for, there is no press release from the brand confirming the same cuts.
At least not if you go back a year in the car brand's news archive on the so-called Škoda Storyboard, where all international stories from the group are posted.
Škoda insists in the new press release, where it makes it clear that it is disappointed with the press coverage, again clearly how the layoffs are related.
According to the brand, there are no layoffs at all. Instead, Škoda will reduce its workforce by 8,000 through 'natural attrition', which means early retirements and severance packages.
Autovise notes that Škoda CEO Klaus Zellmer makes a particularly passive-aggressive statement.
– We can't let rumors like these stop us.
– Anyone who has doubts about how stable and successful our business model is should take a closer look (at the numbers, ed.) says the director.
However, it is difficult to see that these are rumors, now that the brand itself has confirmed that 20 percent of the employees will be leaving.
